


Tawny Skin and Pencil Lines

by werewolfsaz



Series: Colours of Love [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Artist Alec, CEO magnus, Cat and Izzy make plans for the idiots, Coffee shop owner Isabelle, Drawing, First Meetings, M/M, Scheming Izzy, Shy Alec Lightwood, Unwitting model Magnus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-07 18:35:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17965877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/werewolfsaz/pseuds/werewolfsaz
Summary: "Caffeine injection?"Alec's head popped up, large, hazel eyes startled as they focused on his sister's fondly exasperated face then the steaming cup in her hand. The tantalising smell of coffee made him drop the pencil in his hand and make grabby hands for the cup."You are an angel," he praised her, wincing as his neck muscles twanged painfully. He had been immersed in the new piece that he must have been sat there for a long time with his head bent, shoulders hunched forward like some massive gargoyle."This is a well-known fact," Isabelle affirmed with an airy toss of her sleek, dark head. "You've been huddled here for the last three hours. Can I see what you're working on?"





	Tawny Skin and Pencil Lines

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Zoe1331](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zoe1331/gifts).



> Hello, lovelies! So, a new day, a new Malec series. What can I say? I just can't get enough.  
> This was requested by the lovely Zoe who gave me the general idea and asked me to run with it. I thought I'd start off with a gentle jog, just to see how people like the idea. I fully intend to take this to sexy, smutty places in the future so keep an eye out for that.  
> Please feel free to leave kudos or comments, I love them all, they bring light to my life and a much-needed shove to the muses to get off their backsides and do some damn work *shakes a fist at muses*  
> Anyway, enough of that.   
> Enjoy!

"Caffeine injection?"  
Alec's head popped up, large, hazel eyes startled as they focused on his sister's fondly exasperated face then the steaming cup in her hand. The tantalising smell of coffee made him drop the pencil in his hand and make grabby hands for the cup.  
"You are an angel," he praised her, wincing as his neck muscles twanged painfully. He had been immersed in the new piece that he must have been sat there for a long time with his head bent, shoulders hunched forward like some massive gargoyle.  
"This is a well-known fact," Isabelle affirmed with an airy toss of her sleek, dark head. "You've been huddled here for the last three hours. Can I see what you're working on?"  
Alec hesitated for only a moment before handing her the sketch pad, cheeks flushed a dull red. She was the only one that got to see his works in progress. Not even their parents got to see anything unfinished. As for his best friend, Jace, well... That was a hell no. They may be as close as brothers, may have shared almost every thought and secret since they were seven years old, but Alec's art was something Jace didn't understand. 

"Who is this?" Izzy's voice broke through, jerking Alec back to the present.  
"I don't know. I only saw their back when they were stood in line this morning. The light hit them so perfectly, really showed the strength of their form, even under the business suit," Alec replied with a shrug, sipping his heavenly coffee. "I've been so busy making sure I got the proportions right without making them look bulky and cartoonish."  
Izzy frowned as she studied the picture, sure she recognised the figure her brother had recreated so beautifully in graphite. Which was absurd, really. How could you recognise someone by their back from a pencil drawing? And yet... Her brother was so talented, so dedicated to getting everything perfect that it was almost possible. He had even caught the way the fabric caught the light from the big front windows, the shadows along the nape of the neck, the soft spikes of the dark hair.  
"Whoever it is, they are certainly eye-catching. And you have done them justice with this."  
Alec blushed as he took the drawing back, staring at it for a long time as if looking for flaws. Then he began to ruffle the edge of the pages, blank and full alike. Izzy smiled fondly, watching her big brother fidget with his coffee mug, tug at his raven-dark hair, twirl the mug again, green-brown eyes flashing up to her before shooting away again, all the while riffling the pages.  
"Alec..." Izzy's voice was low and suspicious, a thought springing into her quick mind fully formed. "Alexander, have you seen this person before?"

Alec knew he was caught the second he saw that knowing gleam in his sister's dark eyes. He was hoping that she would just let it go, just let him get on with coming into her store every day, taking up one of her tables, covering it with his sketches and pens and balled up disaster pieces. But no, Isabelle Lightwood, sister detective extraordinaire, struck again.  
"They... He comes in every day," Alec muttered, twisting the mug between his long, smudged fingers. "A few weeks back, I was helping out, remember? When Clary was off sick? Well, he came in and I couldn't believe how hot he was! Perfect, tawny skin, ebony black hair, chocolate, umber eyes..." Alec sighed wistfully. "He was rude as all hell, snapping his order, didn't say hello, didn't say thank you. I was tempted to spit in his coffee. But then... The sun came out, struck the side of his face just right and..."  
Izzy sat with her mouth hanging open, staring at her brother as if she had never seen him before.   
"How many more pictures of this guy are there in that book?" she asked, half worried that her painfully shy brother was turning into a weird stalker.  
"None. Two...Four... more than four but less than fifteen," Alec stuttered out, face flaming as he squirmed under his sister's astonished gaze. She snatched the sketch pad back, flipping to older drawings.

Each page was a study of this rude, gorgeous customer. His profile, sharp, severe but undoubtedly handsome. Fully face on, the set of his wide, blazing eyes, the slope of his nose, the plushness of his stern mouth. Alec had drawn him from nearly every angle, clearly putting hours of work into each drawing. Some were colour, showing the raven wing blue flashes in his dark hair, the complex darkness of his eyes, the rich honeyed tone of his skin.   
"I know this guy!" Izzy exclaimed, staring at one portrait, a memory waving frantically at her. "He's Magnus Bane, the CEO of Warlock Industries. Their main office is just around the corner. Weird, he was perfectly lovely when he came in to introduce himself a few months ago."  
"Maybe he just doesn't like me," Alec shrugged, glancing up. "Oh, shit! I'm gonna be late. Love you, Iz. See you later."

**  
Catarina Loss stood in the small cafe shop, eyes on the menu, grateful for a break from the madness at the office. The line wasn't too long, thankfully, giving her a chance to decide what she wanted without making her impatient.   
"Hi, welcome to the Coffee Institute," the pretty, dark-haired, caramel skinned owner greeted. "Oh! Cat, hi!"  
"Izzy, hi, how are you?"  
"The usual, trying to not work myself to death, worrying about my idiot big brother and up to my eyes in coffee. What can I get you today?"  
Cat ordered for herself and for her boss who had instructed that she come to this specific shop for his drink.   
"Your brother? Is everything okay?" Cat asked as she waited for the drinks. Izzy looked at her speculatively for a second before a smile graced her beautiful face.   
"Do you have a few minutes once I've cleared the queue? There's something I'd like to ask you."  
Cat frowned but nodded readily, intrigued.  
"Sure, Magnus can jitter around the office and annoy everyone else for a change," she grinned, settling on one of the high stools near the counter. This could be interesting.  
**

Alec slouched wearily into Coffee Institute just before closing. He was covered in paint, black combat pants streaked with cerulean blue, mint green and primrose yellow. His black shirt was splattered with scarlet, fuchsia pink and Arctic white. There was a smear of royal purple across his forehead and along his left cheek, all the way to the ear. He looked as if a Bob Ross palette had attacked him.  
"Iz? Are you nearly ready to close? I..."  
Finally looking up from his neon green spattered boots, Alec's changeable eyes flashed wide with surprised horror. His sister sat at the counter with a lovely dark woman in an expensive suit and... Oh no.

Magnus Bane, unwitting model and focus of all Alec's recent daydreams (where he was far less rude and much more attracted to a pathetically shy artist) was perched beside them, delightfully dark eyes sweeping over Alec with alarming intensity. This would be a wonderful time for a random hole to open under his feet and swallow Alec whole.  
"Alec!" Izzy beamed, hopping down to hug her brother. She felt how rigid he was, how his muscles were locked in horrified surprise. Her heart went out to him and she almost backed out of the plan she and Cat had hatched earlier.   
"He's here!" Alec hissed, lips barely moving. "He's looking at me!"  
"So talk to him, you lump!"  
"Mr Lightwood," a deep, silken voice interrupted them, turning the siblings to the man sat at the counter. "I would like to commission a painting from you."


End file.
